Die assembly and disassembly bench

ABSTRACT

A bench top is mounted on telescoping legs supported by a base member and can be raised and lowered relative to the base. The bench top is straddled by a vertical frame formed from a pair of laterally spaced posts connected at their upper ends by a cross beam. There are means on the base member supporting the posts for movement along the opposite sides of the bench top. Supported by the cross beam above the bench is a trolley that is movable along the beam and from which the top section of a die can be suspended while the bottom section of the die is supported by the bench top and raised or lowered by it.

[451 Oct. 10, 1972 United States Patent Vecchi m h k mm m mm mm 3 m T, MB mm m. n m a n O m M E D m D m v e m a m as E e mum m m ABSTRACT A bench top is mounted on telescoping legs supported by a base member and can be raised and lowered relative to the base. The bench top is straddled by a vertical frame formed from a pair of laterally spaced posts connected at their upper ends by a cross beam. There are means on the base member supporting the posts for movement along the opposite sides of the bench top. Supported by the cross beam above the bench is a trolley that is movable along the beam and from which the top section of a die can be suspended while the bottom section of the die is supported by the bench top and raised or lowered by it.

n U n DMD 9 0 23R c Wmm "m2 S m m n E w M m M 1 mm] .1 P a I c s M M 1% m m n 7 n A 9 mm m mm m. mL &W U m n P & A FM UhF M 3 1 2 n m U RH UUU 5 3,460,226 8/1969 Hildebrand..............29/2OO P 9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures DIE ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY BENCH Dies are composed of upper and lower sections, at least one of which is movable up and down relative to the other. In many cases these vertical movements are guided by posts rigidly mounted in one of the die sections and sliding in guide passages in the other one. In order to assemble the two die sections the upper section needs to be suspended in a very accurate position above the lower section, so that when the two sections are moved together the guide posts will enter the guide passages. [f the lower die section is placed on an ordinary work bench and the upper section is suspended over it by an ordinary crane or the like and then lowered onto the lower section, the act of lowering the upper section often causes it to swing slightly and thereby interfere with entering of the guide posts in the guide passages below. Also, the ordinary work bench is not constructed for easy access to the bottom of the lower section of the die when it is desirable to perform work in that area.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide die assembly apparatus which permits a die to be supported at the level most suitable for the person working on it, which allows the upper section of a die to easily be moved into accurate position over the lower section, and which avoids any swinging or lateral displacement of either section as they are being assembled.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view; and

F 16. 2 is a reduced fragmentary vertical section.

. Referring to the drawings, a rectangular base member 1 has vertical telescoping bench legs 2 rigidly mounted on it near its four corners. The upper movable sections of these legs support a bench top 3 rigidly mounted on them. The telescoping legs permit the bench top to be elevated and lowered so that its height can be adjusted to suit the workman using the bench. The raising and lowering of the bench top is preferably accomplished by means of a vertical hydraulic cylinder 4 and piston 5 located between the base member and the bench top, as shown in FIG. 2. The cylinder is rigidly mounted at the center of the base member, and the upper end of the piston engages the center of the bottom of the bench top. An electric motor 7 operates a hydraulic pump for supplying fluid under pressure to the lower end of the cylinder to raise the piston. A foot pedal switch 8 may be used for controlling the usual valves, by which fluid pressure is admitted to or released from the cylinder.

Mounted on top of the bench is a pair of rails 10, which are preferably in the form of I-bearns. These are held in parallel relation at difierent distances apart by means of studs 11 (FIG. 2) projecting from their bottoms into holes 12 in the bench top. There can be just two parallel rows of these holes, or they can be arranged in a square so that the rails can extend either front to back of the bench or laterally across it. The rails will support a die or the bottom section of a die several inches above the top of the bench so that work can be done on the bottom of the die. To make this easier, the webs of the rails are provided with long slots 13 through which tools or a person's arms can be extended.

Extending along opposite sides of the base member in parallel relation is a pair of horizontal guide members, along which movable members can travel. Suitable guide members can be formed from shafts 15, the opposite ends of which are rigidly mounted in brackets 16 bolted to the base member near its corners and holding the shafts above it. Encircling each shaft and movable along it is a sleeve 17, preferably provided with ball bearings for easy movement along the shaft. The two sleeves support a vertical frame that extends over the bench. The frame is composed of two vertical posts 18 and an upper cross beam 19. The lower ends of the posts are welded to angles 20 that are bolted to angle bars 21 welded to the sleeves. The upper ends of the posts rigidly support the cross beam several feet above the top of the bench. This beam is an [-beam that supports a trolley 22 that can travel back and forth along it. The trolley has wheels 23 that roll on the lower flanges of the beam. A hook 24 is suspended from the trolley.

To assemble a die with this apparatus, the bottom section 26 of the die is placed on the bench rails 10 near one end of the bench, and the top section 27 is suspended in a sling 28 hanging from the trolley hook while the frame is at the opposite end of the bench. Then the frame is pushed along the guide shafts 15 until the top section of the die is over the bottom section. By adjusting the position of the frame in this manner and moving the trolley along beam 19, the guide posts 29 depending from the bottom of the top die section can be positioned exactly over the vertical guide passages in the bottom section. With the top section of the die hanging motionless from the trolley, fluid pressure is admitted to the lower end of the cylinder 4 to slowly raise the bench top in order to insert the guide posts 29 in the guide passages. The two die sections then can be clamped together in any suitable manner and the frame then moved to one end of the bench where the assembled die can be removed from the sling. lf it is desired to take a die apart, it can be done by simply reversing the procedure just explained.

The bench can be provided with a drawer 31 at each end and with equipment used in working on a die. This equipment can include, for example, an inspection light 32 on an electric cord 33 wound on a reel 34, a compressed air line 35 and nozzle 36, and electric outlets 37 for power tools.

Apparatus such as disclosed herein makes as sembling, disassembling and working on a die much easier and more convenient than heretofore.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, 1 have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what 1 now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

l claim:

1. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus comprising a base member, telescoping bench legs rigidly mounted on the base member, a bench top rigidly mounted on said legs, means for raising and lowering the bench top relative to said base member, a vertical frame straddling the bench top and formed from a pair of laterally spaced vertical posts and a horizontal cross beam rigidly connecting their upper ends and spaced above said top, means on said base supporting the lower ends of the posts for movement along opposite sides of the bench top, a trolley supported by said cross beam above the bench and movable along the beam, and means suspended from the trolley for supporting the top section of a die while the bottom section of the die is supported by the bench top and is raised or lowered by it.

2. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 1, in which said raising and lowering means include a vertical hydraulic cylinder disposed between said base member and the center of the bench top.

3. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 1, in which said post-supporting means incluude a pair pf parallel horizontal guide members rigidly mounted on said base member and extending transversely of the lower ends of the posts, movable members mounted on said guide members and movable lengthwise thereof, and means rigidly connecting said movable members to the posts.

4. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 1, including a pair of laterally spaced parallel rails mounted on said bench top and adapted to support a bottom die section above the upper surface of the bench top.

5. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 4, in which said rails are [-beams having vertical webs provided with therethrough for passage of tools.

6. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 4, in which the bench top is provided with parallel rows of holes, said rows extending transversely of said rails, and the rails are provided with bottom studs insertable in said holes to permit the distance between the rails to be varied.

7. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 1, in which said post-supporting means include a pair of parallel horizontal shafts extending transversely of the lower ends of the posts, means on the base member supporting the ends of the said shafts above it, a sleeve mounted on each shaft and movable along it, and means rigidly connecting each sleeve to the adjoining post.

8. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 7, including a pair of laterally spaced parallel rails mounted on said bench top and adapted to support a bottom die section above the upper surface of the bench top.

9. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 8, including means for holding the rails different distances apart.

longitudinal slots 

1. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus comprising a base member, telescoping bench legs rigidly mounted on the base member, a bench top rigidly mounted on said legs, means for raising and lowering the bench top relative to said base member, a vertical frame straddling the bench top and formed from a pair of laterally spaced vertical posts and a horizontal cross beam rigidly connecting their upper ends and spaced above said top, means on said base supporting the lower ends of the posts for movement along opposite sides of the bench top, a trolley supported by said cross beam above the bench and movable along the beam, and means suspended from the trolley for supporting the top section of a die while the bottom sectiOn of the die is supported by the bench top and is raised or lowered by it.
 2. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 1, in which said raising and lowering means include a vertical hydraulic cylinder disposed between said base member and the center of the bench top.
 3. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 1, in which said post-supporting means incluude a pair pf parallel horizontal guide members rigidly mounted on said base member and extending transversely of the lower ends of the posts, movable members mounted on said guide members and movable lengthwise thereof, and means rigidly connecting said movable members to the posts.
 4. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 1, including a pair of laterally spaced parallel rails mounted on said bench top and adapted to support a bottom die section above the upper surface of the bench top.
 5. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 4, in which said rails are I-beams having vertical webs provided with longitudinal slots therethrough for passage of tools.
 6. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 4, in which the bench top is provided with parallel rows of holes, said rows extending transversely of said rails, and the rails are provided with bottom studs insertable in said holes to permit the distance between the rails to be varied.
 7. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 1, in which said post-supporting means include a pair of parallel horizontal shafts extending transversely of the lower ends of the posts, means on the base member supporting the ends of the said shafts above it, a sleeve mounted on each shaft and movable along it, and means rigidly connecting each sleeve to the adjoining post.
 8. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 7, including a pair of laterally spaced parallel rails mounted on said bench top and adapted to support a bottom die section above the upper surface of the bench top.
 9. Die assembly and disassembly apparatus according to claim 8, including means for holding the rails different distances apart. 